Reflections and New

Directions in Sprinting
and Hurdling
Gary Winckler
TrainingDesign Pro
 Background
Theme of this year’s congress
Reflect upon development over the past 20 years
General observations from this region
My opinions and observations
Open for debate
Examine a current technical model for the sprint
hurdles
 General Observation
I believe the truly successful sprint and hurdle programs
have been directed by coaches who understand the need to
have balance in their programs.
Balance in training, technical, and competitive loads
We have seen the extreme ends of the spectrum over the
past 20 years.
High training loads with low technical emphasis
High technical emphasis with poorly designed training
loads
 General Observation
Both ends of this spectrum have yielded good international
results in some training camps, particularly in the late 80’s.
Dopping has certainly played a role in some of these
results
My observation is that dopping played a much larger role
in many sprint and hurdle performances 20 years ago
than currently. Fortunately many of the offenders have
been discovered but clearly not all.
 Changes Observed
There have been significant advances in a number of areas
effecting sprinting and hurdling. I believe the information and
experience is there for all coaches to utilize if sought.
Unfortunately, like in many other endeavors, we too often
cling to what we know rather than constantly examine
and evaluate what we are doing to get the results we are
achieving. This all important self-evaluation enables us to
selectively discard ineffective practices and replace them
with better ones.
 Changes Observed
Sports medicine
Understanding the causes and treatments of many common
sports injuries has improved dramatically.
The technology available to evaluate injuries and treat them
has markedly improved.
Openness by coaches and doctors to alternative medical
treatments has occured creating greater sharing of ideas
across disciplines.
Therapists who understand holistic treatment plans have
increased in number and there is better cooperation among
specialists to solve medical issues.
Understanding of how we can utilize the intended function of
the human anatomy in locomotion has improved and with that
opened doors to possibly reducing many common injuries.
 Changes Observed
Understanding and application of periodization principles
Twenty years ago there seemed to be a much greater
emphasis and interest in ‘training volumes’.
There existed a strong belief that to improve performance
the athlete needed to increase their training volume year
to year.
Coaches today seem to be less attached to the classic
Matveyev model.
This model no longer is a valid model for high performance
athletes in my opinion.
Many elite level athletes and their coaches have developed
loading strategies that allow for a high level of
performance to be repeated over many months during the
long competitive season.
 Changes Observed
Technical Models
I believe there was a great deal of poor information
disseminated during the 80’s regarding what should be taught
in sprinting and hurdling.
There were good studies taking place that were increasing
our understanding of what was important, yet not how to
achieve it.
Ralph Mann, Betty Atwater, among others
In recent years there has been good information written and
presented helping coaches to understand how we can help our
athletes achieve the requirements for better performance.
Frans Bosch and Ronald Klomp
 Technical Models
Over the past 3 years I have seen some athletes
demonstrate very good technical models.
Asafa Powell and Usain Bolt are particular examples of
excellent sprint mechanics
Examples of how we better understand the
development of technical models based upon functional
human anatomy.
These same technical models of running are exactly what
are required to enable better performances in hurdling,
jumping and long distance running as well.
 Technical Model
Sprint Hurdles
Briefly examine how an anatomical approach to hurdling
determines the technical model
 General Objectives
Improve Hurdling Skill
Maintain Rhythm between hurdles
Develop a solid start and aggressively accelerate thru the
first hurdle
Accelerate through more than one hurdle
Hurdle Skill Components
Takeoff efficiency
#1 problem area
Step management
Length of steps between hurdles
Rate of steps between hurdles
Challenge for hurdlers at all performance levels
 Takeoff Efficiency
Try to minimize loss of velocity
Try to minimize
“decelerating” forces at
takeoff
Requires an aggressive
approach to the hurdle
Maintaining step
frequency decreases
the time available for
‘planting’ takeoffs
 Anatomy of a Takeoff
The Takeoff
Must consider the penultimate step as of equal or greater
importance than the takeoff step itself.
Transfers and directs energy flow just as in the jumps
Largely determines the path for the center of mass
thru the hurdle
 Anatomy of a Takeoff
Posture
Pelvis
Feet
Thighs
Forces
 Anatomy of a Takeoff
Examination points
Posture
Hips over feet and upward facing
Feet under center of mass
Sprint like forces being produced utilizing extension
and stumble reflexes
 Undesirable Model
Poor model as seen
in most young or
inexperienced
hurdlers
Posture
Slack in muscles
Misdirection of force
application
 Desirable Model
Quite good
clearance
Posture
Reasonable
stiffness
Clean limb
movements
 Looking for the Ideal
What sets up a good hurdle clearance?
Good sprint mechanics
Good coordination to produce good ground forces
Let’s look at where it all begins.....
 Poor Ground Forces
Example of
good lever
positions to
set up good
elastic forces
Poor timing
Excessive
slack
 Better Ground Forces
Example of
good lever
positions to set
up good elastic
forces
Better timing
Less slack
 Very Good Ground Forces
Better stiffness
in joints and
reduced slack in
muscles
 Exercise Selection
Basic ankle
coordination
exercise
 Exercise Selection
Example of an
exercise to
develop the
coordination to
simulate the
elastic response
we want
 Next Step in Sequence
Focus on energy
transfer
Rhythm
Velocity
Energy
Transfer